Nothing Is Ever Gone Forever

I recently spent the day at my old barn up in Portola Valley. Needless to say, I was shocked at how I still knew my way around, like I had never left. Stepping onto the barn's grounds was like stepping back into an old home; everything was still in place and I automatically felt comfortable.

You may be wondering, why would you go back to your old barn if you chose to leave in the first place? Well to be honest, I have really close friends who still ride there, and just to put it out there, I still miss my old barn. Spring Down was the place where I spent 7 years of my equestrian career, where I grew up and matured.

From the moment I got to Spring Down I was crushed in a hug from my friends, then rushed into a stall to tack up my friend's horse Zoe, a beautiful bay mare. As I tacked up I sighed in relief as I felt it all coming back naturally to me. As the clock ticked closer to the start of the lesson, I walked into the arena, smiling at the sight of the jumps that I had trained over numerous times. However, what surprised me most was the large smile my old trainer gave me when she saw me approach her. Despite being one of her most advanced riders and suddenly leaving, she was able to let it go and support my decision to ride at my new barn.

Despite making the big leap from my old barn to an A-rated barn, I still miss Spring Down with all my heart. Reflecting on my last day at Spring Down still brings tears to my eyes, as I remember driving away and looking in the rearview mirror to see one of my best friends waving from the barn driveway until she was out of sight. Now, Dr. Seuss said a quote, "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." This quote is so true, as even though I have spent a lot of time at my new barn, I still try to visit Spring Down as much as possible to see my friends and take photos during their lessons.

So to conclude, I wanted to post some pictures that I took of my best horse friends doing what they love. They dedicate so much effort to improving their riding and I am so proud to call them my best group of horse friends now, and into the future!

Bryan and Zoe (left), Cami and Tilly (right)

Cami and Tilly

Bryan and Zoe

Cami and Tilly

Tribute to Lacey Jamieson

Death of A Young Horseback Rider Touches Teens All Across the Globe Lacey and one of her horses Lacey Jamieson, a sixteen year old equestrian from St. Thomas, died on Sunday of Oct. 13, 2013. Doctors are coming to the conclusion that Lacey had a rare blood disease called Hemaphagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis, commonly known as HLH. According to her parents and close friends, this rare disease suddenly struck Lacey, and she was transported to the hospital a couple days before, only to pass away on Sunday. Lacey's trainer and friends from the barn that she was currently riding at that time are devastated because of her loss, and Lacey will never be forgotten. According to her trainer Julie Claus and friend Tabitha Peltier, Lacey had a close connection with horses and that fate had brought her to the world of competitive show jumping and competitions. Lacey was born with a gift, and she showcased that off to the world, becoming famous through her YouTube channel a...

Book Recommendations

I am a huge book worm and try to read whenever I have time, which is usually late at night before I go to bed, on weekends, or on breaks. I recently found that I was short on books to read, which led me to research on Google novels that would appeal to me. Because I am a sucker for romance movies, I mainly looked for that genre of novels. I recently got a few novels in the mail along with a few that a friend let me borrow, and I want to share them with you. 1. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green - I have read this book around three or four times, and it is still my favorite novel. It is a story about two teenagers who do have cancer, but it focuses more on the blossoming love story between them and how their world changes because of that as they also go through ups and downs due to their illnesses. It is a great read anywhere and anytime, and will always make you tear up by the end. 2. Let It Snow - This novel consists of three holiday stories written by John Green, Maure...

Dairy-free Banana Bread

From the end of 2019 to now, I have been really into baking breads. Out of the ones I have made, making banana bread and pumpkin walnut bread have been my top favorites. One of the first banana breads that I made was utterly delicious! However, because I like to share my baked goods with others, particularly my boyfriend, I went on the hunt for a dairy free recipe. My boyfriend is lactose intolerant, and I wanted to bake something that both he and I could enjoy. So, upon coming upon this recipe during my search online, I made a loaf last night and it was so delicious I had to share it on the blog. Here is the recipe! Photo from Google Images Ingredients: 4 very ripe bananas 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup dark brown sugar 1/2 cup canola oil or coconut oil 2 eggs 2 tsp vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp sea salt Steps: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a standard size loaf pan (I use olive ...

Sarah Dairiki

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